Antenna for moving vehicles



Oct. 11, 1938. w. (3. DUNN 2,132,938

' ANTENNA FOR MOVING VEHICLES Filed June 7, 1937 Patented Oct. 11,1938 f i:

PATENT OFFICE ANTENNA FOR MOVING VEHICLES :William G. Clarinda, Iowa- 'Application June 7, 1937, Seria l'-No. 148,704 V i 7 y Claims. My invention has to do with an antenna peculiarly adapted for use on moving vehicles, such as motor vehicles, boats, airplanes and the like. More particularly it is my object to provide an antenna of this kind mounted to permit the antenna to lie in position closeto the car body when the car is standing or traveling at low speed, and to be moved to a distancefarther from the car when the car is traveling at higher speeds. With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my antenna for moving vehicles, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which: e

Figure 1 is a top or plan view of a part of an automobile equipped with a radio antenna embodying my invention. i j v Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same. Figure 3 is an enlarged plan view of the mounting structure, parts being shown in section and parts being broken away.

' Figure 4 is a detail sectional view ta ken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3. e H e g V Figure 5 is aside elevation of a 'd iiferent'form of antenna.

Figure 6 is a top or plan view of the mounting structure of the device shown .in'l igure"; and Figure '7 isa detail sctionalview taken on the line 11 of Figure 6.

Many attempts have been made to provide satisfactory antennae for moving vehicles and particularly for automobiles.

At low speeds, a very ordinary antenna is sufficient to catch the radio signals as is later made useful by the radio receiving set within the vehicle, but at increasing speeds, due to the sound or rushing of air past the vehicle, and also due to the increased vibration and noise of the mechanical parts of the vehicle, it is found that a more eflicient aerial is then necessary.

H It has been'found that by raising the aerial away from the metal parts of the vehicle as nearly a 90 angle as possible that this efiiciency is obtained.

In order to meet this problem, aerials of the bu gy whip type have been provided. They have been fairly efficient but they have not been entirely satisfactory because of the fact, that they project from the car in an objectionable fashion which often' prevents them frombemembers when the latter are in their lowered ing driven into a low doorway of a garage and so forth. v

I have solvedthe problem by providing an antenna adapted to lie flat where it will be out of the way when the car is not moving or is 5 traveling at low speed, the antenna being providedwith means' for taking advantage of the air pressure available when the car is traveling, for raising the antenna and moving it away from the car. Thus the antenna will have its 10 maximum efficiency when the car is traveling at high speed when maximum efliciency is most necessary for the proper operation of the radio set.

I have: shown in my drawing two forms in which my invention may be embodied, andto illustrate the fact that it may have a variety of embodiments. e I v In the particular form shown in Figures 1-4 a metal case shaped a good deal like a half of an e g shelllfopen atthe bottom and indicated generally by thereference numeral I0, is shown secured to the top of a car II by means'oi' screws 12.

Journalled' in the walls of the case ID are parallel shaft-like members l3, preferably made of stiff wire which form parts of wing-like antenna members A, each having generally the shape of the outline of a wing and being formed by means of wire material. The members l3 are geared 'together by small gears ll.

' The rear ends of the antenna A normally lie on the topofthe car H, as indicated in Figure 1 and in full lines in Figure 2.

At the rear ends of the wing-like antenna members A they are provided with blades IE or the like, which may be of metal or other suitable material, so shaped and arranged as to be engaged by the wind or air when the car travels at considerable speed, whereby the antenna members will be raised from their full line position shown in Figure 2 to their dotted line position shown in that figure.

Thus when the car is stationary or traveling slowly, the antenna will be down lying close to the car top, and when the car is traveling rapidly, the antenna will automatically be raised so that both members thereof will stand nearly upright for thus serving most efficiently the purpose of an aerial.

The gears [4 are blank for a considerable portion of their circumference, so that they can rotate for only certain distances. They are so arranged that they partially support the antenna closer together.

position to keep them from? wearing on the car top, and they are aiso so shaped that when the antenna members have swung to their full line position, shown in Figure An antenna of the kind just described is simple and inexpensive to construct. It is not the way when the car is standing in the garage or being moved slowly into the garaga' It is amply efficient tooperate the radio when the car is not traveling at high speeds. E I Its construction is such that the antenna mem bers are raised to project away from the car when In this form of device the antenna is a suitable wire loop or U-shaped member 19 having long arms, the forward ends of which are curved upwardly and forwardly as at 2!! (assuming the antenna to'be in its downqposition), and journalled on a cross pin 2| mounted in the upper parts of theside members I6;

Another pin 22 is mounted in the side walls [8 below and rearward with relation to the pin 2|. Pivotally mounted on the sides I8, by being .mounted on the pin 22, are arms 23 standing belowtne' curved portions 20 and oppositely curved. The arms 23 extend forwardly and normally lieclose to the body of the car 24. :These arms at their forward ends carryia blade A spring 26 is arranged on the pins-2i and 22 and ;is connected with Eone of'the arms ofthe yoke 9 in such manner 23.8 to help lift that yoke and cushions its downward movement; and to tend to hold itspaced just above the top of the car. 1 w

Normally when the car is standing or moving slowly, the antenna land the operating blade :25 assume approximately the positions shown 'in Figure When, however, the car travels at considerable speed and it is desirable to have the highest efficiency -rom the radio, the rush of air from in front efthe windshield against the under side of ;the..blade 25 will cause the blade 25 to move upwardly. This causes the curved rear ends oi' the arms 23 to engage the 2, they can move no In this form of 1 device abracket curved portions 29 and raise them upifor lifting the antenna to its dotted line position of Figure 5. a

This structure has all the advantages of the first described embodiment of my invention.

7 It should be mentioned that the usual precautions are taken and arrangements made in in the construction and arrangement; of the parts, andv it is my intention to cover the invention as broadly as may be in my claims.

I claim as my invention;

1. In a structure of the class described, an antenna member, means for pivotally supporting it on a moving vehicle, and means operatively associated with it adapted to be air' actuated for raising theantenna on its pivot when the vehicle is traveling. Y

2. An antenna for moving vehicles, means for mounting the antenna for movement toward and from the vehicle, a blade operatively associated with said antenna and adapted to be acwith means for pivotally mounting same on a vehicle, a member arranged to contactthe air and 'move'the antenna away from the ;-vehicle when sameismoving rapidly forward and allowing to lie'relatively close to the vehicle when same is moving; forwardly slowly,

or stopped altogether. I 7 5. The combinatiomwith an antenna, adapted te normally lie relatively :close to the surface of a vehicle-when the vehicle is moving backwardly, stopped entirely or traveling slowly in a forward direction, and of a pivoted member adapted to contact the air and be moved away from thesui faceof said vehicle when it reaches antenna .away'from the vehicle. 7 p Y V j DUNN.

.a predetermined forward speed, and to move the backwardly, 

